The final eight episodes of Breaking Bad begin this Sunday at 9pm on AMC. I recently discovered the show last year, and quickly jumped on the bandwagon, discovering it is the first television show since The Sopranos that has had me so engrossed in an individual character. Bryan Cranston's portrayal of Walter White, a modern day Jekyll and Hyde is chilling to the bone, yet Cranston makes it all seem so simple. Was the dad from Malcolm In The Middle this complex too?
Here also, is where I make the confession that I misjudged Walter White's ill-suffering wife, Skyler. During Season 2 she became so hated because she was always spoiling everything, revealing the harsh truth in the infamous "I.F.T." episode, and getting in the way of all of Walt's "fun" as he becomes what he now is. Walking around with her sneering face full of anger and resentment, it wasn't until I heard an interview with the show's creator Vince Gilligan that all the "Skyler Haters" seemed to have missed the point. Skyler is the voice of reason. She knows how dangerous Walt has become and feels so backed into a corner that she can't protect her family. Yet, throughout the series, Bryan Cranston makes Walter White (at least in the beginning) a likeable guy, and a guy you want to root for. And yet, you realize that because of what Cranston accomplishes, you seem to forget that you're rooting for a dangerous drug kingpin, and one who has put his entire family in danger. That's what Skyler has been fighting, and even though we don't want to admit it, it's what we as an audience have been fighting too.
Yes, I know. All of you are so fracking tired of hearing about how great this show is. Parodies of its greatness have been lampooned everywhere, and it's gotten to the point where I'm sure most people just want us fans to shut the hell up, watch the show, and never speak about it again.
FUMoR's two all-time favorite shows are The Sopranos and The Shield. I can already say with certainty that Breaking Bad is better than The Shield. Whether or not it stays that way and ends up as The Sopranos' equal will ultimately be determined on September 29th, when the very last episode ever airs.
So, here are FUMoR's Top 5 Favorite Episodes of Breaking Bad:
*Note: This list assumes that the reader is all caught up on the series, so if you haven't watched all the seasons, or none at all, you won't find much sense in this list. (Spoilers of course follow.)
5) "Crazy Handful Of Nothin'" (Season 1, Episode 6)
It's the first episode that ultimately conveys where the show is going. It's not just about a chemistry teacher becoming a meth cooker/dealer. It's so much more than that. With this episode's cold open, it utterly demonstrates what we, the audience, will experience over the upcoming 4 seasons. And it isn't pretty. Walt's showdown with madman kingpin Tuco has got to be one of the craziest things I have ever seen on television, and that includes the entire run of Twin Peaks. In this episode, Walt realizes what he's gotten into, and knows that in order to get the respect he deserves, he has to take a step up. And what a step it is.
4) "Box Cutter" (Season 4, Episode 1)
A power episode. Restaurant owner and drug kingpin Gus Fring demonstrates what he's capable of while Walt, Jesse, and Mike Ehrmantraut observe in absolute horror. It's a gut-wrenching 47 minutes, with producer Vince Gilligan going on record saying it's probably the toughest episode for him to watch. And I knew that lab floor had to be painted red for a reason. Also pay particular attention to Aaron Paul's acting in the lab scene. He basically sits for 10 minutes in a chair, reclined back, hands in his lap, and looking down at the floor in utter disgust. And we know why. So much conveyed with so little. And the Denny's scene keeps humor in its tone with Walt's Kenny Rogers t-shirt still having the size sticker on it.
3) "Fly" (Season 3, Episode 10)
In all honesty, I didn't like this episode very much when I first saw it. It seemed more like filler than anything else. After watching it, I sadly seemed to have witnessed my first disappointment with BB. The basic premise: A pesky housefly has gotten into Gus' lab and Walt and Jesse spend the entire episode trying to kill it. That's it. Cranston and Paul are the only 2 actors in the whole episode (with the exception of some extras when they wander outside the lab). Producer Vince Gilligan even admitted that one of the reasons this episode was made was because it was towards the end of the season, and they had run out of money, so they had to make the best of things without going out and shooting on location and using up funds.
Sounds like a lazy excuse, but this episode grew on me. I watched it again just the other night and it was like watching the episode again for the first time with a fresh perspective. It's an amazing amalgam of things, most notably the chemistry (bad pun intended) between Walt and Jesse. It's a showcase for the actors, and it demonstrates so much in the way of character development based on such a simple premise. What I thought was lazy ended up being a strong, solid episode. Well done all around. And did they kill the fly? Watch it (more than once) to find out.
2) "One Minute" (Season 3, Episode 7)
It's a Hank episode! Dean Norris' Hank Schrader is like the opposite of what Walter White has become. Fans know from past episodes that Hank is the DEA agent (and Walt's brother-in-law) that ultimately wants to do the right thing (SPOILER: Which is what makes his "realization" at the end of Season 5a so bone-chilling.) The showdown with the cousins in this episode is amazing and it could have played out like a cheesy, stupid, Michael Bay-esque actioner, but this is Breaking Bad, and it doesn't go for the cheap, audience-pleasing scenes. And once again, Aaron Paul gives a brilliant monologue to Walt towards the end that I think will ultimately become his downfall. Watch the scene carefully, and realize what transpires in that scene, and witness a character who has experienced the "worst pain possible".
1) "Crawl Space" (Season 4, Episode 11)
I'm really not being very original here. This episode has been a favorite among BB fans ever since it aired. Ultimately, it's played out like it could be the end for Walt and his family, and has the feel of a penultimate episode before a series finale. The less I say about the episode, the better. I will just say this: the last 10 minutes contains some of the greatest acting, filmmaking, and suspense ever put on TV. (I know, BB fans all sound the same, don't we?) The final act plays out more like a horror movie than a drama. Hyde finally takes over Jekyll, and the rumor is that Bryan Cranston did the scene all in just one take. The music, the diegetic sound, the camera angles. The creepy, psychotic laughter. It's some really scary stuff.
Other notables include: "Peekaboo", "Cornered" (The 'I AM the one who knocks!' episode), "Face Off", "Dead Freight", "Negro Y Azul", and "Fifty-One".
So there you have it. Don't agree? Then you better call Saul!
Sunday night can't get here soon enough.
And yes, I know. All of you are thinking the same thing:
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